Analysis
Religious Freedom and The Testament of Ann Lee
"The Testament of Ann Lee" is a new film starring Amanda Seyfried as the founder of the Shakers religious movement. I wrote about what the film teaches us about religious liberty for Word&Way. Here's an excerpt:
As America prepares to celebrate 250 years, this film feels like a necessary interruption to the triumphal narrative. It invites us to remember that the promise of religious liberty was forged not only by revolutionaries with muskets, but also by mystics who refused to pick up arms. Ann Lee’s legacy is not merely that she founded a religious movement. It is that she embodied a form of freedom that refuses to be conscripted. In a time when faith is once again being asked to prove its patriotism, that is a testament worth hearing.
Transcript
Confronting Anti-Sikh Hate in the United States
Anti-Sikh hate is a persistent and often overlooked form of religious discrimination in the United States, rooted in a long history of exclusion, violence, and misunderstanding. As Interfaith Alliance builds a multi-faith movement against hate, it is essential to recognize the distinct experiences of Sikh Americans and address anti-Sikh hate as part of a holistic effort to counter religious bigotry
